Any thoughts/advice on unhappy CMA 14 week old and v stressed mum!!

[Klootz1]

This is my first post so will try and keep things to the point! - any advice would be much appreciated

When DS was about 2 weeks he came out in a bad rash on his face and chest/back. He also had bad gas and explosive nappies and diarrhoea. Cows milk allergy was queried and we quickly started on a dairy free diet for me as I was breastfeeding and nutramigen for the one bottle he had at nighttime. His symptoms improved almost immediately and so we continued. My supply dwindled and so we headed over to completely bottle fed in about 4 weeks after that.

Although there was no definitive start date (about 6/7 weeks)I was aware DS wasn't feeding that well with me or the bottle and was unsettled after and seemed hungry so I started to keep a note of amounts. I went to the doctor who thought silent reflux and started us on milk thicker and ranitidine. No joy. About a week after this he was almost entirely refusing to eat (11 weeks) We ended up in hospital over night and we were assured it was reflux and put on a higher dose of ranitidine and gaviscon. No joy. DS will still only take 2/3 oZ's max per feed, a total of 20 per day. About 15 less than he should be taking for his weight (so I was told by doc and HV). So then dietician put us on neocate to see if there was still some allergy taking place but a week in and there's no improvement (I've been assured that any taste aversion would last a couple of days tops and then instinct to eat would take over)

Although DS is putting weight on every week it's a v small amount and he's now crossing lines on the percentile chart. I saw a paediatrician yesterday who practically patted me on the head and told me 'babies cry for lots of reasons' and they 'take a while to find their 'line'' I left crying. I know my baby and I know he's hungry. He's constantly crying, gnawing on his fist, my shoulder, his toys. He starts off well with each bottle but then seems to hit a wall with it and can't go any further.

If anyone has had similar issues or has any thoughts I could take to my gp, I would be really grateful!! I'm becoming so anxious and worried about the whole thing.

Thank you

Hi klootz I'm mum to a CMPI child, my second, now 4 and mercifully outgrown it.
Ranitidine is exquisitely dose sensitive, you need to increase it regularly as they put on weight, and it also loses it's effectiveness over time, due to a process called tachyphylaxis, where the body gets more efficient at breaking it down or produces more of the H2 receptors that it blocks. We had to swap to omeprazole at 4 months old, having gone through the dose range of ranitidine and still not effective.
Omeprazole isn't licensed in babies, your Gp prob won't prescribe it, you'd need a paediatrician. It can take a few weeks to see improvement on Neocate, but if you're not getting anywhere then I'd be asking about a PPI (omeprazole or lansoprazole)

The book 'Colic Solved' by gastro paed Dr Bryan Vartebedian is v helpful, despite stupid title - the bible on reflux and CMPI. The Little Refluxers support site also v good.

Thank you bakingtins!! Sounds like you know what you're talking about.

I have a follow up paed appointment on 22nd so will have given neocate a good few weeks by then. Have just ordered the book too! I can only hope this passes soon - my nerves can't handle much more

Thanks again.

The one thing that stood out for me in yourpost was the thing about taste aversion to neocate only lasting a couple of days.

Have you tasted it??! It is bloody vile. I used to have to flavour it with nesquik for DS and even then he wasn't keen.